Cato Chronicles: Life in the Arena
by thisisme980
Summary: "That happened quickly," I say, hating how shaky my voice sounded. If it wasn't for my arrows, I'd be dead already. But I can string an arrow as fast as he can throw a spear, so neither of us makes a move. "So..." Cato tried to talk. "Can I kill you now?"
1. Chapter 1: Let's Work Together

**Well hello there! If you're reading this, CONGRATS! You've found my first published story! I wrote this with a friend from church who is OBSESSED with Cato winning the Hunger Games. So, we decided to rewrite it! Just a fair warning: This story is focused on Katniss and Cato, but as of right now it won't be like a relationship—just friends! It takes place in the first arena after Rue's death, and most of the tributes are all dead. The whole story is in Katniss's point of view, like the books. So without further ado, here's the Cato Chronicles: Life in the Arena.**

_Summary: "That happened quickly," I say, hating how shaky my voice sounded. If it wasn't for my arrows, I'd be dead already. But I can string an arrow as fast as he can through a spear, so neither of us makes a move. "So…" Cato tried to talk. "Can I kill you now?"_

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Chapter One: Let's Work Together

Through the distance, I hear Claudius Templesmith's voice ring out like a bell. "Attention remaining tributes: We are bored of you. If you aren't dead within the next 24 hours, we will blow the arena up. Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be _ever_ in your favor!"

Before I can help myself, I shout "I must kill Peeta!" There is no time to lose. Weak and helpless, Peeta will be an easy kill. Once I get him out of the way, I can move on to the more challenging tributes. I pick up my bow and arrows and start to walk. I pass Rue's body, I almost stop one last time for her, but killing Peeta is much more important. How should I kill him? Millions of ideas flood my mind, but if he's as hungry as I am, I know one thing that will work: nightlock. Then, at least it will be relatively painless. As much as I hate Peeta, I don't think I could live down shooting an arrow through his heart. No, nightlock will do. I know he is lying by the river by what Cato said. How kind of Cato to make the job so easy for me, first cutting him and then revealing his location.

I was almost to the river when my foot got caught in something. It looks like a trap or something, so someone must be nearby. I try to pull my foot out, but it was stuck. Twigs snap. I panic. This is _not _how I'm going to die. A foot steps out of the bushes. I look up and see…Cato? "Hello, Cato," I said casually, still struggling with the trap.

"Hello," he replies, taken aback by my peacefulness. "You know, I wasn't planning to trap _you._" He sneered.

"You weren't?" I asked.

"No, I thought you were too smart. Guess not," he raises his spear, poised to throw. "Thanks for making my job easier."

"WAIT!" I yell frantically. "Wait. I'm going to the river to kill Peeta. I'm sure you want him dead, too, so we should work together. Just this once, then you can kill me!"

Cato looked like he was thinking. "How do I know you're not lying?"

"You don't, but it's your only chance at finding Peeta," I stammer. "He's good at camouflage. You'll never find him. But he trusts me. If I call out to him, he'll answer. I swear it. But you could spend _days _looking for him when all along he's right under your nose. You _need_ me, Cato."

He looks at me, then at his spear. He raises it again, and I know I'm about to die. I close my eyes and wait for the pain, but it never comes. "Are you coming?" I hear. Opening my eyes, I see my foot is free and Cato is waiting for me. Mumbling a response, I get up and start walking.

* * *

"You lead the way," he tells me. "Since you know where he is." Obviously Cato misunderstood me. I don't know where Peeta is, I just know how to find him. But I bravely step forward and march on, pretending I know exactly where I'm going, although really it's just a stab in the dark.

"Peeta! Peeta! Can you hear me?" I turn to Cato. "He's just up the river a bit. Maybe he's sleeping and can't hear me." We keep walking. After walking for about fifteen minutes and finding no sign of Peeta, I can tell Cato is aggravated.

"I thought you knew where he was! Where is he? I bet you took me out here so you can kill me. Yeah, that's it. You're still madly in love with him, and he told you to kill me! I knew it. I should have just killed you when I had the chance." With that, Cato punches a tree. Said tree moves and makes a whining noise.

"Peeta? Is that you?" I ask while stepping away.

"No," the tree replies.

"See!" I tell Cato. "I told you he was around here!"

"You said that three hours ago," Cato replied, clearly unimpressed. "Let's see, how should we kill you? Spear, sword, arrow, or a mixture of all three?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of nightlock," I offer weakly.

"Perfect! All three!" Cato cries enthusiastically.

"Um…what about nightlock? We tell him we're on his side, give him the berries, and once he's dead we can chop off his head! Or something…" Explaining this to Cato was like talking to a three year old.

"That would be a good idea…" Cato says. "If he wasn't right there next to you when you said that!"

"I didn't hear a thing!" Peeta said quickly. "Did someone say berries? Hand them over!"

With that, Cato punches the tree—and Peeta—again. "Katniss, do you have them with you?"

I nod.

"Do you two need like a final hug or something?"

I slap him.

"Well, then give them to Peeta." Cato sighs, looking surprisingly sad and downcast. "And I was going to have so much fun with him, too. Oh well, we'll just have to make up for it on the next tribute, won't we?"

"We?" I repeat, my hand frozen in my bag. "But I thought you said—I mean, never mind!" I decide it wouldn't be the best idea to remind Cato of his plan to kill me.

"Yes, we!" Cato laughs. "I figured if we can kill Peeta so easily, we can kill the rest of the tributes, too! Of course, I'll have to kill you later, but let's not think about that now."

"…Right." I hand him the berries. _Really, Cato? __**You**__ kill __**me**__? It would be __**so **__easy to kill you right now. We all know I'm going to win! _I laughed to myself.

"Alright, here it goes. Any last words, lover boy?" Cato says. Peeta opens his mouth to speak and Cato shoves the berries into his mouth. "Well, that was easy! He totally cooperated with me. Although, most of the tributes do!" For some reason, I'm mad at Cato. Could it be because it had been my motive all along to kill Peeta? Everything is going exactly as planned, so why am I angry? He's dead, isn't he? I pretended to be excited and even high fived him when the cannon went off.

* * *

After killing Peeta, we decided to set up a camp. I hunted for food and Cato kept guard. The sun goes down as Cato and I eat some game I shot. The anthem plays, and faces are shown. Girl from District One. Boy from 11. Peeta. I felt a small pain in my heart, but pushed it away. I don't—no, I can't— have feelings for Peeta. Only Cato and I remain.

The music fades away and Cato and I look awkwardly at each other, hands on our weapons. "That happened quickly," I say, hating how shaky my voice sounded. If it wasn't for my arrows, I would be dead already. But I can string an arrow as fast as he can throw a spear, so neither of us makes a move.

"So…" Cato tried to talk. "Can I kill you now?"

My eyes widened. "No!" I look around. "Not until we eat. I, um, heard it's bad to die on an empty stomach."

"That makes sense," he said. Making one pile for each of us, I try to slip some leftover nightlock berries on his side. "Wait," I look up to face him as he talks. "Didn't we just eat?" And with those simple words, I can feel my heart stop and see my foolproof plan crumble to bits.

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**Okay! That's the first chapter. We think it's pretty good, but we won't know unless you review! It would mean the world to me to get reviews since this is my/our first story! Thanks soooo so much for reading and we'll see you in the next chapter! ^w^**


	2. Ch 2:Isn't Someone Supposed to Die Now?

**Hi again! I got soooo many nice reviews and a lot of followers on this story since I last updated. So, I dedicated my whole study hall today to writing a new chapter for you guys! Thanks again for even reading this; I honestly didn't think anybody would be interested. :) I was wrong! I forgot to say this in the last chapter and I'm only going to say it once: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES, CHARACTERS, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT SOMEONE ELSE OWNS THAT I MENTION IN THIS STORY. THEY BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS. So, here's chapter two of the Cato Chronicles!**

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_Chapter Two: Isn't Someone Supposed to Die Now?_

"Uh, yeah. But my stomach's still empty." I replied. I had absolutely no idea what to do now.

"Okay," Cato said. "Well, mine's full. You can have my share." He pushed his pile towards me.

"Oh, no, no! You need to eat. You need lots of energy." I paused. "You know, to kill me?"

He nodded. "You're probably right. I mean, you've been right about everything else. It's a shame I have to kill you soon. So, in your last moments of life, are there any secrets you want to share before you die?"

"Uh...actually, yeah. There is." I paused. Do I really want to share my secrets with Cato? Truth be told, I didn't really have any secrets. "Once I'm...dead, and you go on the Victor Tour, I need you to tell Prim something for me."

He looked at me with a serious face. "Okay, what's up?"

"Tell her..." I force myself to choke up. "Tell her I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't win like I promised her I would. I'm sorry I never told her how much she truly meant to me. I never...never got to help her get a better life." I'm almost crying now. "Lastly, tell her goodbye. And that I love her.

"I also want you to tell Gale something. If you don't know him, just say I wanted to tell him something. He'll run up to the stage as soon as you say his name. Tell him I'll miss shooting with him. Ask him to keep his promise. Tell him I love him and I miss him.

"I need you to do something, too, Cato," I say. "Don't let my family starve. Keep my mother alive. Keep Prim alive." _Keep me alive,_ I thought.

"Wow," he sighed. Katniss, you deserve this so much more than I do. But, I can't let you win. See, you have people that actually care about you. I don't have anyone. I'll only be loved if I can win. I might as well die, but I can't risk losing. So, I hope you'll understand. And I'll tell them that. Everything."

As he reached once again for his spear, an idea came to my mind. What if we both die? Then what would the Capitol do?

* * *

"Cato, wait!" I shout. "Don't be mad, but I put some nightlock in your food. If we pull them out, we can both eat them. No winner, no worries. For both of us. What do you say?"

In response, he started to pull put the berries and set them aside. "Are you going to help me? It was your idea, after all."

"Are you serious? Cato, what about you? I wasn't really thinking you'd agree!" I panicked.

"Like I said, I have nothing. Here's an even pile. Four for each of us. On three?" he looked up to me.

I nod. "One..."

"Two..."

"Three..." I whisper.

* * *

We lift the berries to our mouths and almost eat them. The speakers cackle. "Wait! Stop!" Is that Claudius Templesmith? What's going on?

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to announce our victors of the 74th Annual Hunger Games." Victors? At this moment everything stopped. Where am I? Who was I? What's going on? I hear Cato's voice calling me. At least, I think he's talking to me. He's looking right at me.

"Katniss! They're sending a hovercraft for us! We're still alive! We won the Games! Both of us!" Cato cried happily.

Everything moved in slow motion. Cato pulled me up and we entered the hovercraft. Was this real? Once inside, I see footage of us at the beginning, killing tributes, and finally, our last moment in the arena. People from the Capitol crowded around us. We actually did it! We won the Hunger Games. Both of us.


	3. Chapter 3: What Have I Done?

**Hey again! It's been awhile… *laughs awkwardly* I'm really sorry for the wait, but I met up with my co-author Christa today and we wrote a really good chapter for you guys! Hopefully it'll be worth the wait! So, here you go! Once again, thank you SO SO much to everyone who reviewed!**

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Chapter 3: What Have I Done?

Cato and I were flying in the hovercraft. He was talking about something, but I wasn't really listening. I was alive! I could still take care of Prim and see Gale! I was so busy thinking I barely noticed Cato poking my arm.

"Katniss?" he asked. "You okay? You're being pretty quiet."

"I think I'm still in shock," I reply.

"In shock that I had the kindness and mercy to spare you?" he says.

"No, in shock that I had the stupidity to spare you." I reply flatly.

He put a hand over his heart and made a shocked face. "That hurt, Katniss. I feel the pain," he pointed at his heart. "I feel it here."

"You're lucky you don't feel one of my arrows there," I mutter.

"You couldn't kill me if you tried." He laughed.

At this point, trying sounds _very_ tempting. But they already collected our weapons, so it would be useless to try. I sit back on the couch and wait for this awful train ride to end. Our first stop is District 2, naturally, because Cato was a Career tribute and therefore has the privilege of being dropped off first. Is that even fair? I'm positive everyone likes _me _way more than him, but whatever. If it means less time with Cato, I think I'll live through it.

"What are you doing first when you get home?" Cato asks.

"I'm going to go hunting with my best friend."

"Aw, that's cute. I'll probably kill some people to establish my dominance."

"You're joking, right?"

"Of course I'm not joking! Now that I'm a victor, I can get away with anything."

I knew it. Something is _definitely_ messed up with him.

"Oh," How exactly am I supposed to respond to that? "That's…um…yeah."

"Don't worry, I'll kill one for you, too!" He said.

"Wonderful. Just what I wanted." I say sarcastically.

"I know! No need to thank me or anything." He looked out the window. "Hey! We're almost there!"

What have I done? By sparing Cato, I have caused the deaths of who knows how many more! Will I be able to forgive myself? The train jerks to a stop.

"Well, this is where I check out!" Cato says. "Until the Victory Tour, bye Katniss!" The door opens, and I'm greeted with the sound of thousands of screaming fans chanting, "Cato! Cato! Cato!"

"Bye," I mumble, and he's gone. At last!

Finally able to rest, I lie down on the couch and try to sleep. I'm suddenly aware of how tired I am. As soon as I close my eyes, I'm asleep.

* * *

I was blinded by light. A figure emerges. It's a person. Is that Peeta? "Katniss," he says. "Why'd you do it? Don't you know what he'll do? Didn't you know I loved you?"

"You're dead!" I screamed. "What are you talking about?"

"You have to stop him!" He says as he fades away.

I wake up screaming. My hands wrench back the covers, my feet find the floor. And then I'm running, panting, my heart beating out of my chest. I burst into the engine room where the conductor sits sleeping on a chair. "STOP THE TRAIN!" I scream.

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**Okay, that's chapter 3! What will happen next? You might not know, but we do! :) Thanks for reading and we hope to update again sometime this week! I'm sorry if these seem kinda short. We try to cut it off at a high point of the chapter, kind of like a cliffhanger. Sometimes the high points come really far in or it could be really short! Review if you feel like it! :D**


	4. Chapter 4: Messed Up

**Hello again! I won't make any excuses for not updating, but I tried to make this chapter long to make up for taking so much time! I hope you enjoy it! :)**

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Chapter 4: Messed Up

"STOP THE TRAIN!" I yell, startling him awake.

"What?" he mumbles sleepily.

"STOP THE TRAIN!" I yell again as I reach up and yank the emergency breaks with all my might. The train screeches to a halt, throwing us both into the far wall.

The conductor is now wide awake. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Please!" I say. "We must go back to District 2! This is a matter of life and death!"

After pulling a few levers and things, the conductor gets the train going back to District 2. Since we weren't very far away, it didn't take very long. As soon as the train stopped, I flung the door open and ran out of the train. I saw Cato on a stage, making a huge speech about how he survived the Games.

"And after heroically rescuing Katniss from a trap, she pleaded for a chance to work with me in order to spare her life for a few more days." I heard him say.

"Oh, really? Because that's not how I remember it," I say as I walk on stage. Cato's eyes widened.

"Katniss, what a surprise! What are you doing here?" he asked through clenched teeth, trying to keep smiling for the fans.

"Well," I said. "I needed to come back because you...left something on the train! Or in your world, because I'm suddenly madly in love with you and couldn't bear to be away with you for so long!" I cried dramatically.

"Well, that's understandable. What did I forget?"

"A warning." Ignoring his confused look, I walked up to the microphone. "People of District 2, listen up! This could possibly save your lives! The boy you see behind me is not a victor, but an insane killer! He told me on the train the first thing he would do would be to kill a bunch of people to make his position known. So I beg you: lock up your children! Protect them as much as you can! Protect yourselves! Don't let him near any of you!"

A few of the crazed fan girls started crying, and I saw parents gather their children close to them.

"What are you doing?" he yelled. "Do you want to ruin my plans?" The whole crowd gasped.

"See!"I'm yelling now, my voice echoing throughout the audience. "Did you hear that? This boy...He's mad! He's crazy! He is a maniac who thirsts for innocent people's blood! Just like he thirsted for mine—and for Peeta's, too!"

"No—please—don't believe her!" My eyes glance up at one of the huge TV screens just in time to catch a glimpse of Cato's panic stricken face. His eyes…pleading, begging, innocent. It could fool anyone. Anyone but me. This boy, I think, is dangerous. Not just because he can kill, but because he can lie.

Suddenly something hits me hard, and I look down to see a sparkling jewel studded shoe lying at my feet. "You're the crazy one!" I hear a voice yell and look up to see teenage girl glaring at me. "He wouldn't kill anyone! He's too wonderful to hurt a soul! You're the one that's gone mad!"

This outburst is followed by swarms of agreement and suddenly I'm being pelted with shoes, all different colors, all different sizes and styles and shapes. Who knew shoes could hurt so much? But I am not getting off this stage. I am not running off in defeat. Let the crazed fan girls throw their whole wardrobe at me. I am standing my ground.

After a few minutes of being pelted with various accessories, I grew tired. I saw a shoe hurdling my way, and caught it with one hand. Did I mention my eyes were closed? With that, the crowd is silenced. "Now," I growl. "Does anyone else want to throw something at me?"

One brave soul lifted something else. Glaring at them, I threw the shoe and hit the person dead on. I grab the mic once more and calmly smile. "Now, you all don't know this, but he's a crazed maniac. And a killer. Do you all want to die or something? Cause I can shoot you all down if you like. Oh, wait. That wouldn't work. You'd rather die at the hands of your beloved Cato, who simply couldn't do anything wrong! After all, killing you for no reason must be self defense or something! Are you all blind?" Why don't they get this?

"SHUT UP!" Cato yells, shoving me to the side. "Why are you doing this? Do you want to ruin everything I've worked for? I should've killed you ages ago! I won't kill all of them! If I did that, who could I rule?"

Standing up, I walk over to Cato. "You're right," I say loud enough for the microphone to pick up. "I don't know what I was thinking!" I hear the crowd 'aww' as I give him a hug. Knowing only he can hear me, I whisper "You are such an idiot. I look forward to seeing you on the Victory Tour so I can see how your stupid empire is going. But hopefully, they'll still be an empire. If I were them, I'd start a rebellion. That, or kill myself to get away from you." With that, I let go, apologize to the crowd, and leave.

* * *

I leave not a moment too soon. Effie, her wig half off, and Haymitch, clutching a bottle in his left hand, appear at the edge of the audience, breathless and red faced. I calmly stroll down the aisle towards them, preparing myself for whatever will become of this.

"What on EARTH do you think you are doing, young lady?" Hisses Effie, grabbing my shoulders.  
For the first time since Peeta knocked the wine glass out of his hand, Haymitch actually looks mad. Not just mad. Enraged. "Having the conductor stop the train! Marching right onto the stage, yelling murderous accusations about Cato to the whole Nation! Tell me just what is going on here!" My mentor grabs my arm roughly and starts leading me back to the train.

I struggle to escape his grasp, but it's useless. "It was all true! Every word I said-true!"

"I don't CARE if it was true." Haymitch shoves me into the train and I stumble onto the floor. "The point is, you are accusing the boy you are SUPPOSED to be madly in love with of murder!"

I hate myself for crying, but I can't help it. "What do you mean?" I say, glaring at him through teary eyes. "I thought I was supposed to be in love with PEETA!"

Effie lifts me up and brushes me off. "Oh honey, that was days ago. If you haven't noticed, Peeta's DEAD."

Thinking about Peeta's death just makes me cry all the more. "So what? Do I HAVE to be in love with someone? Is love a requirement for all victors?"

"Not for all." Haymitch steps towards me, glaring at me. "Only for those who messed up."

My tears get stuck in my throat. "Messed up….?"

"He means," Effie said. "You defied the Capitol, you and those berries. And the only reasons for doing that are a) you were trying to start a rebellion or b) you were so in love with Cato you just couldn't stand the thought of living without him. A isn't a viable option. The only one left is B."

I feel my heart stop.

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**Okay! So, what will happen next? Review and let us know what you think! :D**


	5. Chapter 5: Coming Home

**Tada! That wasn't too much of a wait! Not much to say about this one…so enjoy! :D**

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Chapter 5: Coming Home

Realization hit me in the face. They were right! Peeta was dead! And as terrible as that is, there was nothing I could do about it. Looking back, I should've kept Peeta alive and killed Cato. But I shouldn't worry about that. I have this to deal with now, anyway.

"So what do we do?" I manage to choke out.

Haymitch took a drink of whatever was in his bottle. Effie sighed, clearly thinking of how she should explain this to me. "Well, I think the only thing we can do now is wait for the Victory Tour when you see Cato again, and then we'll see how we can tie in our plan of you two being in love. Of course, we'll have to fill Cato in, too." she explained.

"Yeah," Haymitch said drowsily. "And we need to work on your acting skills."

"What's wrong with my acting?" I ask.

"Everything. I don't even know how people thought you actually loved Peeta. Did you see yourself? Yikes. This time we have to at least be convincing." Haymitch shot me a glare.

"Well, we can worry about that later." Effie said as the train lurched forward. "Right now we have to worry about getting you home to District 12. We should probably work on you manners again, seeing how you forgot them."

Effie kept talking as she shuffled me down the halls, but I zoned out. Peeta's dead...I have to be in love with Cato...everything I know is messed up. I feel faint after thinking about it all, so faint that I actually collapsed to the floor. The last thing I remember hearing is Effie screaming for some assistance and Haymitch mumbling about how "it's all starting again."

* * *

I open my eyes to Effie shaking me vigorously and hissing "Wake up, Katniss! We're almost there!" I shoot up so fast all the blood drains from my head and I steady myself on the bedpost as the world spins around. Effie is trying to shove me into the shower.

"Hurry and get cleaned up before we arrive! You'll have swarms of fans waiting for you, trust me."

I undress and turn on the shower. The warm water almost puts me to sleep again. What happened? How long was I out? Then it all comes back to me, hitting me like a sledge hammer. I am in love with Cato. No, I'm not. But I am supposed to be. How do I fake love with someone I absolutely despise? And who despises me?

Once out of the shower, I dry and braid my hair, and put on the blue dress I wore at the Reaping. It's a little wrinkly, but it will do. It's all I have, after all. The little gold mockingjay pin from Madge completes the outfit. There. All ready for District 12 again. At least, I think so. My mind wanders to Gale. What will he think of me now? Surely he doesn't know about my most current "relationship" with Cato. But I can't hide it from him forever. And once he knows, will he still be willing to my friend? I can't bear the thought of losing him, so I push it as far from my mind as possible and brace myself for the worst as the train slides to a stop in the station of District 12.

As the door opens, I am once again deafened by the sound of my fans. That sounds weird, since this is my hometown. Most of these people used to be my friends. After recovering from the lights and sounds, I weakly wave, earning a new round of screaming. I walk onto the platform with Effie trailing behind me. "Make a speech!" she whispered, pushing me to the center.

"Uh," I stutter. "Hey again. It's been a while. I missed you all, and I think you all are the reason I'm here today. Thinking of you and how much I missed you drove me to victory." I laughed awkwardly to my friends, family, and others gathered to hear me.

Turning to the Mellarks, I frown. "I am so, so sorry for your loss. Peeta was really my only friend throughout this experience. It grieves me so much to know that I am partly the cause of his death. I am really sorry for both of you, and I plan on sharing at least half of my rewards with you." I held up three fingers, put them to my mouth, and held them upward. Everyone in the crowd did the same out of respect for Peeta. I waved and went back to the train with Effie so she could escort me to the Victor's Village.

* * *

My mother and Prim await me inside the house. "Katniss!" My sister shouts upon seeing me, and then promptly bursts into tears, wrapping her arms around my waste.

My mother appears from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. She struggles to offer a weak smile. "We're so happy to have you back, Katniss." She says it like I have just came back from an extended stay at a distant relative's house.

I hug Prim back, as tight as I can. "What's for supper?" I ask mother without looking at her.

She hesitates a minute before answering. "Your favorite: fish and green beans."

"Thanks," I mumble. I follow my family to the dining room, taking in the new house. Everything is so beautiful and new and modern. We even have a telephone. For the majority of District 12 residents, this house is like a mansion. But I don't like it. I miss the creaky wooden floors, the chipped paint, and the scratchy sheets of my old home.  
Prim, however, is bursting with excitement as she leads me from room to room after supper, pointing out all the modern conveniences of the house.

"And this," she says, opening the door to a lavishly furnished upstairs room with a huge window, "this is your room, Katniss." She grins at me, waiting for my squeal of surprise upon seeing the beautiful room that will be all mine. But no squeal comes. Instead I cross the pure white carpet and sit down stiffly on the starched white sheets, looking around.

Prim's face droops as she comes over to sit next to me. "What's wrong? You seem...different."

I shrug. "Just tired, I guess."

My sister laughs. "Well, I can see why. But you don't have to work anymore-everything will be provided. You'll never have to get up early and hunt ever again! All you have to is sit back and finally get to enjoy life." Prim lets out a sigh of happiness as she falls back onto the bed.

Never hunt again? I clench my teeth and pull at a strand of hair, twisting it around my finger. That's not what I want! And I haven't even had a chance to talk to Gale yet. What does he think of all this?

The sound of a bell going off sends me shooting off the bed breathless. The sound...just like the gong that started the games...

Prim is laughing at me again. "Calm down Katniss! It's just the doorbell!" Then her face twists in confusion. "But who could be calling at such a late hour?" She asks as if I would know.

I shrug and walk to the door. Standing behind a wall, I can hear my mom open the door. She says something, but I can't make out what she says. She sounds surprised, and lets the person in. I see who enters, and everything starts to move in slow motion. I knew I couldn't stay, it was too risky! I hated running away, but I wasn't ready to face him yet. Before he can see me, I turn around—almost knocking Prim to the floor and tripping over her stupid cat—and bolt up the stairs. I can hear Prim calling for me, "Katniss! Be more careful! You know Buttercup's fragile!" I get to my room and close the door, locking it behind me.

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**Well, that's the end of this chapter! Thank you all SO much for your reviews, they are so encouraging and helpful! Funny story…Last chapter I asked "What do you think will happen next?" I got a response which says:**

_Uhm..I think that Gale's little sister Posy is going to hi to Katniss and ask for toothpaste..._

**That made my life! XD Thank you again for all of your support! I love you all! :) See you in the next chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6: A Visitor

**Hi again! I'm really sorry I've been taking so long to update...I won't make excuses though, so here's the next chapter! I hope you all enjoy it!**

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Chapter Six: A Visitor

_It can't be Gale. _I thought. _Can it? _I didn't want to hang around to find out.

I barely heard his voice. "Hey, Prim. Posy just wanted to ask Katniss if she could lend her some toothpaste. Is Katniss okay?"

"Yeah," Prim said. "I don't know where she went off to. Let me go find her." She closed the front door after letting Gale and Posy in. "KAAAAAAAAAAATNISSSS! POSY NEEDS TOOTHPASTE!"

Realizing Prim would just keep yelling until I came, I gave up on hiding and walked into our new living room. "Hey," I said. "Did you need something?"

"Yeah." Gale said. "Posy needs toothpaste. Can you spare any?"

If it hadn't been so awkward between us, I might've laughed. I know Gale had been watching the Games the whole time, trying to make sure I was still alive, so I'm positive he saw my "relationship" with Peeta. How am I supposed to tell him about Cato? "Oh, sure. Let me go grab it." I turned to leave again. Even as I was leaving, I could hear Gale's footsteps following me.

"Hey." He said. "You doing okay? You seem kinda off."

I sighed. I know he's only trying to help, but explaining this to him would only make it worse. "Yeah, I'm fine." I lie. "I'm just still in shock from the Games and whatever."

He nodded. I could tell he didn't believe me, but he didn't say anything about it. "So, can you tell me about it? Or do you need more time to recover? I can totally understand that, I mean..." Gale kept talking, but I wasn't listening anymore.

"I'd rather not talk about it now, if that's okay. I'll talk about anything else, though." I offered, trying to make the situation less awkward.

"Okay," Gale said. "What about that Peeta guy? What was up with you two?"

_Anything but that._ Everything stops. _Peeta..._ I shake my head a little, trying to get back to reality. "What do you mean?"

"Were you two really...together?"

I sighed. "I don't know. I thought we had something, and then I helped Cato kill him! What kind of a person does that?" I grabbed a tube of toothpaste for Posy and threw it to Prim, who was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "Let me tell you the whole story." I led him to my room and we sat on my bed.

* * *

After going through all the details about how our "relationship" was one-sided at the beginning, but slowly the other side whose name is Katniss, better known as myself, started to like Peeta the same way he liked me. And then, of course, I killed him. "And now I'm in this mess with Cato too!"

Gale raised an eyebrow at me. "What mess with Cato?"

"Well, remember when I kinda yelled at him and called him an evil dictator on live television?" Gale laughed at me for a few minutes, but nodded. "Yeah, Effie decided the only way to pull that one off is to be in love with Cato now that Peeta's dead." I explained.

"Hmm." Gale said as he stood up. "You have quite a problem on your hands, Katniss. I wish you luck with this problem, and bid you goodnight." He then sarcastically bowed to me before turning to leave.

"Wait, you aren't even going to offer to help me?" I asked, clearly shocked.

"What am I supposed to do? You got yourself into this one, not me." He shrugged.

"I don't know, offer support, say you're here for me like you used to, go beat up Cato? There could be lots of options here!" I said.

"Okay. You know I'm always here to help you, so I figured I didn't even need to say it. But just so you can feel better about it, come talk to me if you need anything. I need to get Posy home, so we should get going." He said. He walks out the doorway before turning around once more. "And welcome home. I missed you." With that, he left.

I stayed in my room and thought the rest of the night. What _could_ Gale do to help me? What am I gonna do when I see Cato next? Did Gale say _he_ missed me? It was so overwhelming. I felt a headache starting, so I went downstairs to grab some pain killers. Once more, I'm extremely grateful my mother is a gifted healer. I feel the medicine start to work as my headache slowly goes away. Sighing in relief, I decide to call it a night. After everything that happened today, I figured I deserve a good night's sleep. I climb the staircase and enter my room. Once I've turned the lights off, I crawl into bed. Closing my eyes, I drift off to sleep and forget my problems.

* * *

**Okay! There's that chapter! I'm sorry if they seem short, I'm trying to make them longer but it can be difficult sometimes. Thanks again for all of your support, and we'll see you in the next chapter!**


	7. Hi, My Name is Cato and I Like to Kill!

***hides in a corner* Um…hi everybody! I'm SO SO sorry it's taken so long to get this up! I won't make excuses about the "terrible things going on in my life that keep me from writing". All that's important is that the next chapter is finally here! I hope you enjoy this one…it's one of my favorites so far :) **

Chapter Six: Hi, My Name is Cato and I Like To Kill People

* * *

Before the Victory Tour…

It's so warm for May. If it wasn't for Effie's watchful eye, I would have my silk ball gown hiked up past my knees. But the last time I tried that she slapped my hand with a force I didn't know Effie had. Since then, I have been content with fanning myself with the wide peacock feather fan made to match my ridicules dress. As awful as it looks, at least it keeps me cool. The fan that is, not the dress.

"Posture!" Effie hisses to me through the corner of her mouth, without even taking her eyes off the mayor. I realize suddenly how slumped my shoulders are and make an effort to straighten my spine. But it's so hot, and this dress and all of its layers and layers of fabric are so itchy and uncomfortable, all I can really think about is getting out of it. I shoot a desperate look at the mayor. Unfortunately, his back is towards me and doesn't see it. How long will he drone on? I can tell even Effie, despite her attempts to remain prim and proper, is losing it.

So, so hot. I fan my face some more and count to ten, then start over. 1...2...3...I catch Gale's eye in the crowd facing us, but he quickly looks away. 4...5...6...Things haven't been right between us. Not since I came back from the Games almost half a year ago. 7...8...9...And now I'll be leaving again in less than an hour, for the victory tour. 10...Who knows what will happen on the Victory tour?

I am suddenly aware of clapping and a sharp pain in my shin where Effie has managed to kick me. Applause. Right. I must applaud. But my clapping is more to celebrate the end of the mayor's horribly long speech rather the content or the speaker. And I'm sure the rest of the audience is in agreement with me. If they aren't...well, they don't have to wear this horrid dress.

Effie steps up to the platform. "And now, ladies and gentlemen, what you've all been waiting for. The District twelve Victor with her farewell speech before departing on the Victory Tour! I give you Katniss Everdeen!"

I step up to the podium, suddenly unaware of the heat and itchiness. All I can think about is that huge audience, waiting, breathless, for my speech. Effie gives me a hug, but when I try to push away after what I think was an appropriate time for a hug, she holds on. "Listen," She whispers in my ear. "They want more on your relationship with Cato. Tell them what they want to hear, even if it's not the truth. Remember, District 12 isn't the only people watching. Everyone is-The Capitol, Cato, even President Snow."

I step onto the podium with a smile plastered on my face. I waited for the applause to die down before beginning my impromptu speech. "Hello everyone," I say, hoping I don't sound to casual or whatever Effie warned me about. "It's so great to see you all again. Honestly, I still can't believe I'm here to talk to you today!" I was greeted by a round of laughter. "As you all know, I'm getting ready to leave you again. I want to thank all of you for the fun times I've had here at home while I was here."

I was hoping to avoid talking about Cato, but Effie's subtle coughing and glare told me otherwise. "Now I'm sure a lot of you have been wondering about what's going on between me and the other victor, Cato. Allow me to try and explain it the best I can. There came a time in the Games when I realized that I liked more than one of the tributes." I started to feel sick as I spoke, knowing how much of a lie this whole thing was.

"When one of them, Peeta, was killed, I was emotionally distraught for days. This led to doing things I now regret, but they appear to have been for the better. While at the time, I was confused about my previous feelings. It nearly drove me crazy! After a while, though, everything became clear. I was in love with Cato." I glanced at Effie as she nodded her approval. The crowd sighed.

"Each night I would watch the results of the day, praying he was still alive. It seems foolish now; why wouldn't he have been okay? He was one of the best! He was so good, in fact, that soon it was just the two of us in the arena. I was faced with a major problem: how do I kill the person I love more than life itself? The very thought tore me apart. That's why in the last moments of the Games, I pulled my little...uh, trick. I couldn't bear to kill him! So, that's the story. Thank you all again for your time today, and I'll see you when I get back!" I finish with a smile. The crowd roars in applause for what seems like hours, despite it being only a few minutes.

* * *

I walk backstage, grabbing a glass of water on my way. "Was that okay?" I asked Effie nervously.

"Wonderful," she smiled. "I believe parts were exaggerated, but I only know that because of how much you complained about it. No one else could have noticed, I'm sure." She swatted my hand as I tried to pull on my dress...again.

Exaggerated? What I just said was more than exaggerated. It was completely made up. Anyone would be a fool to believe a word of it. Although, capitol citizens are known to be fools. They'll eat up anything you throw at them if it sounds romantic enough. And as for the districts...they seem to have fallen for my lies as well, considering the applause they just gave me. I thought it would never end.

Haymitch greets me at the entrance of the train, grinning. "Beautiful, sweetheart, just beautiful. You had them in a trance."

"Did I?" I ask innocently, finding it hard to believe. It's Peeta who has-err, HAD- the ability to charm people with his words. I usually just bore them. But I know it's true. They believed me and maybe President Snow _won't_ take it out on people I love. Like Prim. Gale. My mother. Hey, maybe I even convinced _him_!

We load in the train and I strip, glad to finally be out of my dress. I then fall into my bed, fast asleep. When I wake up, it's to Effie having a complete nervous breakdown.

"We arrive in ten minutes and here you are laying on your bed in your undergarments, sweaty and disgusting, hair going every which way, and smelling like a FAT PIG!"

"And what would you except me to smell like after having to wear that 75 pound dress for three hours in 102 degree weather?" I snap back.

"I would expect you to have more hygienic respect than plopping down practically naked on your bed without so much as washing your face!"

"Hygienic respect? Did you make that up?"

Effie wrenches me off the bed and shoves me into the shower, which is already running. "You have five minutes, and then I'm coming back in to address your hair and makeup."As she leaves, I hear her mumbling: "And they said it would be an unworthy investment to bring her prep team in! Huh! They'll be sorry, I bet, when they see THAT walking off the train!"

I really don't look all that bad as I walk off the train. Because of the speed dryers and stylers, my hair is already all dry and styled in perfect waves. As for my make-up, it's looked better. But when I step into the sunlight and see Cato there, grinning at me, I know it couldn't have mattered less, my appearance. Because he's gonna play along. After all, he won't be the only one who's in trouble if the Districts start an uprising. At least, that what I think.

But as I approach him I see his smile is less of an "ah I love you so much" kind of thing and more of an "I just can't wait to see you lying in a coffin" kind of thing.

"Cato!" I say as I run up to him to give him a hug, hoping and praying he'll get the hint and work with me. Instead he sidesteps me and says, "Wow, give me some space. I'd rather not hug someone looking like death warmed over."

Everyone in District 2 is watching this cute little scene. And I can only think one thing. _Oh great, I'm screwed_.

"Right, of course." I say through clenched teeth. "We had a few...complications with the team this morning." I laugh a little. Everyone in District Two laughed along, so either they think I'm horrible or I did something right.

"Anyway," Cato said, casually brushing his hair out of his eyes. "I guess you're madly in love with me now? Or is that some lie to save your pathetic life?"

I stand there, shocked more than anything. "Excuse me?" I choke out. Keeping a smile on my face, I lower my voice so only Cato and I can hear it. "Look, I didn't really have a choice. I don't want to die yet and as much as I dislike you, you probably want to live a few more years too. So here's the deal: we get in a fake relationship, districts stay happy and don't cause an uprising, the Capitol doesn't kill us. Or, we completely hate each other openly, districts cause an uprising, Capitol kills both of us. You're choice, choose wisely."

Cato looks like he's thinking. After a while, he forces himself to put his arm around me. "Okay then, new fake girlfriend. What's the plan?" My jaw dropped open. He was agreeing to this that fast?! "Hey, it's not like I trust you or anything, I just want to stay alive so I can be the one to kill you."

I nod. That made more sense. "I guess you give your little farewell speech and we get ready to go. We have to make this believable, so don't make anything look too forced, kay?"

He nods weakly. "Of all people, why did it have to be you I got stuck with?"

"Believe me, I'm not exactly thrilled about it either." I grumble. I watch as Cato goes up to the podium to begin his speech. I'm just hoping he doesn't mess this up for me.

"Hey everybody!" he says. The crowd goes nuts, and he's only said two words. This is gonna be a looooong speech.

Two hours and ten words later, we're off. Yes, ten words. I just spent about an hour and fifty seven minutes listening to people applaud for the boy who wants to kill me. With every word he said, there was a fresh burst of applause. Who would have guessed there were so many girls in District 2? Or that they could scream so loud?

Our first stop is 1. We take it from the top, as usual. I'm glad we're going here first, so I can get it out of the way. All the people of District 1 hate me, with good reason. I killed both their tributes—Glimmer by dropping a nest of Tracker Jackers on her while she was sleeping, and Marvel with and arrow through the heart when he killed Rue. They aren't too fond of Cato either, for acting all lovey-dovey with Glimmer and then not going back for her as she was eaten alive by Tracker Jackers. As we step up to our podium, we are met by cold, hard stares. Not a single clap, cheer, or whistle. Not even for the attractive and charming Cato. And certainly not for me.

"Hello, people of District 1. I am SOOO sorry I killed both of your tributes. I wouldn't have done it of course, if I could have avoided it. But the Capitol gave me only two choices: kill or be killed. So if you're looking for someone to blame the death of your two beloved teens on, I would suggest turning not to me but to President S—"

"What she _MEANS_ to say." Cato says. "Is that she either had to kill Glimmer or me. And she is love stricken with me, naturally. And you can't blame someone so blinded by love for killing someone else in order to save their lovers lives. Right, Katniss?"

"Uh...yeah! Hehe..." I awkwardly trail off, knowing I look like an idiot. Not that I really cared, but it would probably come back to haunt me later.

"Anyway, but I'm sure you can all agree that it turned out for the better. Well, maybe not..." Cato muttered. He looked uncomfortable without all the screaming girls. "So, thanks again and everything, and we'll see you all soon!" he finished with a wave before grabbing my hand and pulling me with him.

* * *

"That was SO awkward," I said. He glared at me in response.

"Okay!" Effie's voice bounced off the walls of our room. "That was...not your best work, either of you, but I'm sure we can have the edges smoothed out and whatnot before we arrive at the next district. In the mean time, I want the two of you to spend some time together, so the interviews I just scheduled for you won't be too terribly fake. Ta-ta!" she called as she left the room. I hear the distinct noise of the door locking and groaned.

"What?" Cato asked.

"She locked us in here. Alone." I said, shoving my head into a pillow.

"Are we supposed to talk, or can I ignore you?"

"We should probably talk."

"Okay."

We sat in silence for five minutes. "So, tell me about yourself, I guess." Cato finally spoke up again.

Tell Cato about myself? No way is that gonna happen. So instead I say: "You first."

He clears his throat and I get the feeling this is gonna take awhile. "My name is Cato Rondue. I'm eighteen years old and I turn nineteen on October 23rd. I have seven siblings, but if you asked me to name them I wouldn't be able to. We never saw each other. Always so busy with school and training, you know. Plus we didn't live together."

"You didn't live together?" I repeat, astonished. Not living with your family is just weird.

"No, as a kid, my parents could tell I was much different from my siblings. As in, I pretty much outshined them all in everything. I was bigger, had a stronger build, and possessed a natural instinct for fencing. At two years old, I was already starting to scare the instructors whenever I picked up a sword." It's all I can do not to roll my eyes.

"So my parents signed me up for this special school specializing in tribute training."

"Learning how to kill people," I say.

He gives me an annoyed glance. "Please, no interruptions. Anyway, I was training to be a Peacekeeper. And, if I had the courage, to possibly volunteer in the games once I turned 18. And of course I had the courage! In fact, I don't think I've ever been afraid of anything. Just one of those natural fearless spirits, you know."

"Are you quite finished?!" I ask impatiently. It's so tiring to hear about how amazing someone is.

"No," he says, "but I'm ready for a break." and then he looks at me intently and I realize he's waiting for my life story. I take a deep breath and try to decide rather to tell the truth or make up complete lies about myself.

I figured mixing in the truth with some lies would be just as good. "Okay, my name is Katniss Everdeen. I'm sixteen years old, and I turn seventeen on May 8th. I have a younger sister, and I actually know her name. Prim. I live with her and my mother. I used to have a father, and because of him we were one of the few wealthy families in District 12." I said, despite it being a total lie. He had special connections, y'know? But one day, when he went to go visit the mine workers like he did every week, there was...there was a bit of a problem. He got in the elevator with the workers as usual, but on the way down something went wrong in the machinery. To say it simply, the mine blew up and almost everyone died. My father was among the dead. My mother checked out, leaving me to take care of my sister. I stopped school, but I was already ahead of kids my age so it didn't matter. I took up hunting as a career, I guess. This year Prim was old enough to be in the Reaping. She was so terrified, and I did all I could to calm her down. It didn't work though, since her name was originally drawn." I saw Cato's eyebrow go up. "No interruptions." I say, mocking him. "I did what any good older sister would do: volunteered in her place. She's doing fine now, so it's okay. And I'm still alive, which is good. And now apparently I'm in love with you. So, that's me."

"Wow...interesting!" Cato said. "It's pretty...dramatic."

"But it's true," I say, annoyed by the way he treats it just like another sappy story from the capitol. Like he doesn't even care.

"Yeah, I know," he replies. "Tell me about your hobbies."

I'm about to say hunting when I realize that could get me in trouble. So I frantically search for some other believable hobby a teenage girl living in District 12 might pick up. "Uh...I, uh...I really love to bake?" it was the first thing that came to my mind, of course inspired by Peeta.

"Oh," he says. "Like Peeta."

"No, no, not like Peeta. A different kind of baking." he gives me a quizzical look and I quickly try to change the subject.

"So... What are _your _hobbies?"

"Killing people." he replies without missing a beat. I just stare at him, speechless. I knew he liked killing people. But as a hobby? That's just wrong.

It's like he can read my mind. "Don't look so shocked. Isn't it natural to enjoy doing what your best at?"

"Killing people?! Seriously Cato?" Here I sit in a locked train car with someone who kills people as a hobby. I start looking around for an emergency exit, out the window or something.

"Yeah," he shrugs. "It's fun. The rush, the adrenaline, the feeling of ultimate power as someone takes their last breath while begging you for mercy. Try it sometime." he said.

I look at him blankly. Try it sometime? No thanks. "Okay, anything other than killing people?" I ask.

"Not really." He says, stretching his arms over his head. "What kind of baking do you do? I'm pretty sure there's only one kind."

"Oh, yeah. Peeta did cakes and stuff, I like doing more…food kinda stuff, like meat and actual meals. I figured it'd be helpful eventually, so I started early." I said plainly. He nods.

* * *

After about ten more minutes of us awkwardly talking to each other, Effie came back and let us go to dinner. So far I have learned that Cato likes killing people, his favorite color is red—it reminds him of blood—and his favorite food is a cream filled donut. I've never had one, because they're practically nonexistent in District 12. Cato says they're pretty hard to come by in District 2 as well, unless you knew the right people. I idly poke my dinner, not really feeling hungry. "Katniss," I hear Effie's voice. "You really should eat. We have a long day ahead of us!"

I nod, weakly stabbing my salad with my fork. My mind wandered to what was ahead of me. The whole Victory tour, being with Cato for what would seem like forever, my birthday being in, like, 2 days, and then there's the problem with being with Cato again. I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to survive this trip.

"So, what did you two do before dinner? You spent quite a lot of time together." Effie said while picking up her glass of water.

"Did we have much of a choice?" Cato grunts.

"We talked." I say.

"About..." Effie prods, obviously wanting all the juicy details.

"About what a pain in the butt it is to have to pretend we love each other," says Cato.

"About our hobbies," I say. "Cato's is killing people."

Effie spews wine all over the table and starts coughing. "Killing people?" she finally manages to choke out.

"Yes, Killing people," I reply, calmly taking a drink. "He thinks it's fun. The rush. The adrenaline. The feeling of ultimate power as someone takes their last breath while begging for mercy."

"You should try it sometime," Cato adds.

Bailys, Cato's escort, smiles. "He's just charming, isn't he?" she says. I can tell by the way she's looking at him she's love stricken. She must be at least five years older than him.

Haymitch takes a swig of wine. "I can see why all the ladies fall head over heels for him. Who can resist a boy who runs around killing people in his spare time?"

I hold back a laugh. I catch Cato glaring at me, so I covered it with a cough.

"Alright then," Effie says. "Did you learn…anything else about each other?"

"Katniss used to be relatively rich, but she's never had a cream filled donut." Cato shrugs.

"Well, they're really hard to get in 12!" I defend my hometown.

"Sure, sure. Y'know, killing people gets you stuff pretty quick."

"Cato, I'm not going to kill anyone!"

"I seriously think you should try it."

"I'd like to kill you."

"I dare you to."

"Fine! How would you like to die?" I say harshly as I stand up.

"Cato! Katniss! Both of you sit back down _NOW_." Effie snapped. "I thought that by now you would at least know SOME form of manners, but this was just unacceptable. How can you act like you love each other if you go around making death threats at each other?"

"He started it!" I started to protest.

Effie gave me a sharp look, and I took the hint and sat quietly. "Now, I want you both to apologize. And if I hear either of you making death threats to anyone at all, unless absolutely necessary, there WILL be consequences. Do I make myself clear?" I nod and Cato grumbles a response. "Now, apologize." We stare at each other, hate laced in our eyes. "Apologize!" Effie said in a voice I didn't even know she could use.

"Sorry…" we both mumble.

"That's better," Effie says, returning to normal. "I think it's time for deserts, don't you?" she smiles as she calls in the next course of our meal.

I, however, am not smiling. I am fed up with Cato's constant nagging about killing people and have decided to try it. On him. I can't take him anymore, and I'm not afraid to suffer the consequences. It'll be worth it to feel that ultimate power as he takes his last breath while begging for mercy. The question is, when and where. I'll need to stage it to look like an accident. If our love speeches really were believable, no one would ever suspect it was me. Except for Effie and Haymitch, but they're on my side. I decide to do it tonight. After everyone is asleep, I'll creep into his room, slam his face in with a rock. Then I'll make it look like the rock fell off the bookshelf that's hanging above his bed. Would that be enough to kill someone? A rock falling on your head? I'm not sure, but neither do I care. All I want is Cato gone, no matter the cost.  
I chuckle to myself as I think about how coincidental it is that Clove, his tribute partner, also died while getting her face smashed in with a rock. It was at a feast at the games several days before Cato and I met up. This brings back bad memories. I try to shake them, but suddenly all I can see is Cato kneeled on the ground next to her, tears streaming down his face, begging her not to go. He didn't think anyone else saw it, but I did. Guilt sinks in. Maybe he does have a heart after all. Maybe killing him is a mistake. Maybe his killing hobby is all just for a good show.

No. Cato must die, and I'll be the one to do it.

* * *

I lay in bed for three hours before finally deciding that the coast is clear. Hopefully his room is laid out like mine, with the bookshelf hanging above the bed. If not, I could always say it was a meteor that flew through the window. Of course, then I'd have to break the window...

I slip out of my room and tiptoe down the hall. Suddenly I see a shadow coming towards me. I'm not sure who it is, but it doesn't matter. Whoever it is they are going to be pretty suspicious to see me clamoring over to Cato's room carrying a giant rock. Frantically, I search for a hiding place, but it's too late. They've already spotted me and are heading this way.

"Who's there?" I call out weakly.

"It's just me." I hear Cato's voice. I groan inwardly. "I couldn't sleep. What are you do—is that a rock?"

I glance down at the rock. "Uh…yeah, actually. It's from Twelve." I lie. "His name is Tom." I add sarcastically.

He nods, rolling his eyes, and sits by the window. I figure it would be less awkward for me to sit with him than just standing here with my rock. "It's crazy, y'know, how we ended up here." Cato says. "I seriously wonder what you were thinking when you saved me at the end of the Games. I know if I were in your position, I'd kill me with no second thoughts."

"You're not as bad as you seem," I shrug. "I only wanted to seriously kill you tonight at dinner. That was a mess!"

He laughs. "Yeah, it sure was. I don't know how you survived with Effie. Being in the same room with her for five minutes makes me want to…"

"Murder someone?"

"Yeah."

We sat in silence for a few minutes. I started to rethink my plans for killing Cato. I couldn't do it after tonight, unless this nice little conversation takes a turn for the worse. But even then, could I do it? I know I'd survived the Games, but that was a completely different scenario. I didn't have a choice—kill or be killed. I could choose what to do now. It's in my control. And I couldn't stand it.

"What do you think's gonna happen after all of this?" Cato asked quietly.

I shrugged. "I'm honestly not sure. I don't really know if I _want_ to know." I laugh a little.

He laughs, too. "Yeah, it's gonna get pretty crazy, huh?" He pauses. "Do you think we're gonna have to be with each other all the time? Y'know, since the Capital and everything has to believe we're in love."

'I sure hope not,' I thought. But who could know? That's how we lived, never knowing what the Capital would pull next. They were unpredictable. "I dunno. I kinda hope not, I like having my own space."

He nods, and I hope that was a good enough answer. I suddenly felt sick, my thoughts wandering to places I'd been trying to avoid. _What if he likes me? What if his obsession with killing is just a façade to hide his feelings? What if I totally just offended him?_ I shake my head, hoping it would clear out.

"It's funny, if you think about it." he continues. "We wouldn't have been in this if I had just killed you when I had the chance. But for some reason, I don't really regret keeping you alive."

Did he just…compliment me? Sure, it was in a twisted way, but a compliment nonetheless. "I've had the same thoughts for a while." I say, changing positions to be more comfortable on the ground.

He glances at the clock on the wall. 2:37._ Wow, that late already?_ "Again, I would've just killed me. But honestly, I'd just kill anybody. We won't go into that now, though. I'm gonna go see if I can manage some sleep before putting up with the Prime Minister of Everything Good and Proper and her drunk partner in crime." He stands and, after giving me an awkward half-wave, leaves. I stay by the window for a few minutes, laughing. I'll never look at Effie and Haymitch the same again.

* * *

**Well, there's that! My co-author Christa and I wanted to eventually throw in a little romance-y drama, so that's gonna be coming up soon. We weren't really expecting it, but I like how it's turning out. Hopefully you did too, because that's all that really matters! Chapter 7 is already in progress, so it shouldn't be too long to wait! Let us know what you thought of this chapter by leaving a review—it really helps when we're writing so we know what everyone enjoys and what to avoid. Thanks for reading! :)**


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